Some 45 Saudis have been arrested and are being interrogated in the US against the backdrop of the September 11 suicide attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, reported the official Kuwaiti news agency (KUNA), citing press reports.

In statements published Saturday in the Riyadh-based Okaz daily, a Saudi official source said American authorities had not leveled charges and had not directly accused any of the Saudis under arrest.

Most of the Saudis detained were arrested for visa violations, a lawyer from the Saudi embassy in Washington was quoted as saying.

Saudi officials say they have 6,000 nationals studying in the US – Albawaba.com